Two Against the World
by ezzelin
Summary: Dino is finally forced to confront the facts, or more precisely, a single blatant fact that he knew all the time but kept pushing away, delaying the day when he'll have to make a choice. D18, some cursing, lots of fluff and lemon, and a bloodbath.
1. The Game Came To an End

**Characters:** Dino Cavallone & Hibari Kyouya

**Content: **Dino is finally forced to confront the facts, or more precisely, a single blatant fact that he knew all the time but kept pushing away, delaying the day when he'll have to make a choice.

**Tags:** D18, some cursing, lots of fluff and lemon, and a bloodbath.

**Rating: **M

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn and its characters belong to Akira Amano. I don't own anything except my perverted mind.

* * *

**Chapter One: The Game Came to an End**

_...only it was never a game at all._

_

* * *

_

"Stop this stupid game this instant."

...?

He had absolutely no idea what this was about.

"You won, so stop now. Seriously, who would've thought you were _that_ stubborn..."

Eyes widened slightly. Eyebrows hid under the strands of gold that fell loosely over his forehead.

"To go _this_ far just because you didn't want to marry that Beatrice of the Presuntuoso family... But you heard me, you won. You can marry any _woman_ you choose."

He opened his mouth, trying to tell him that_ it never was a game_, but was silenced.

"Anyone, really, she doesn't even have to be well-connected or beautiful or anything... just stop this _insanity._ This _game_ of yours has gone past beyond the limits of your normal caprices."

* * *

Four hours after that, he was still choking on the words he wanted to say back then.

He understood what it was about; oh, yes, he knew pretty damn well what the problem was. It crossed his mind a few times before that as well; he expected complications, and disbelief and refusal and arguments and even restraint – but he had not expected it quite yet. Naturally, there was one big undeniable fact that kept troubling him for the past few years, and merely got bigger while he kept pushing it aside into the gloomiest corners of his mind, but... he just didn't want to face it, not yet.

If he had to face the family and the elders now...

He didn't want to imagine. He knew they were right in every single aspect. They had a solid concrete-hard base to build their arguments on, while he had nothing but his unchangeable feelings.

Of course, he meant what he wanted to say back then.

It was never a game for him, never, even from the first moments, from the sparing battles on the school rooftop to their first kiss and other _firsts..._ However, he can only say that for himself. He had no proof whatsoever that this wasn't _just a game_ for _him_...

_Kyouya..._

He left the name resonate through his mind... _Kyouya, Kyouya..._ It sounded so soft, so delicate; the name always ran over his lips with such ease, poured over the flesh dam with such ease, as a vivacious mountain stream...

Yes, Kyouya was like a mountain stream.

A mountain stream, flowing with ice-cold water, and even though you know it very well, you can't help yourself but step right into it; and although your feet feel like freezing off, you just can't bring yourself to step out of the current curling around your ankles pleasantly. He was refreshingly different from anyone he'd ever met, and the skylark had an effect on him like a drug; the more he had, the more he wanted, and the days he had to spend in Italy managing the family businesses were all too long and filled with the typical symptoms of a drug addict.

He could still remember their first kiss. No one expected it to happen; and though he wished for it, longed for it, yearned for it for months before the fatal day, he was ready to die at the cloud guardian's hands.

That, luckily, proved unnecessary.

It was a windy day. The tiny fluffy canary-like bird had trouble navigating its flight, and hardly managed to land between the wind-blown silky strands of raven-black hair of his owner. Kyouya, _his Kyouya_, looked so stunning with his always neatly combed hair flowing around his face and covering his eyes from time to time – whenever that would happen, he would scowl or pout a bit, which incidentally, Dino thought to be one of his cutest faces.

From the way the blonde seemed to be unable to focus on the battle and kept on receiving blows instead of delivering them, one would've thought that none of his men were there – however, the always present silent shadow more commonly known as Romario, was standing right next to the entrance to the Nami middle rooftop, his back leaned against the wall.

_Who would be able to concentrate while fighting the-most-stunningly-ever-looking Kyouya?_

The Dino of the present grinned at the memory, for he knew what followed next; but his smile rapidly died away and distorted his curled lips into a more bitter shape, fitting his current situation.

No, it was never a game, not for him.

Sure, he had dated and kissed a few guys before, and everyone thought it was his little stubborn game, a punishment for them forcing him to marry a bride of their choice. And it suited him; however, when it came to Kyouya... _Kyouya was not a game. Never._

It wasn't a game when he pretended to have been knocked out cold.

It wasn't a game when his whip lashed out at the teen he'd been sparring with and caught him by surprise, curling around his torso tightly, and pulling him towards the ground.

It wasn't a game when he rolled over on the top the raven-haired chairman of the disciplinary committee wrapped in leather beneath him.

It wasn't a game when he hovered half an inch over his pale face, eyes scanning for a sign – resistance, encouragement or murderous intent, and saw not a trace of any of it, merely curious amusement.

It wasn't a game when he covered the skylark's lips with his own, fully aware of the inexcusable offense he was about to make, ignoring all possible laws at once, and then savouring in the slightly salty taste of the delicate flesh before he released him and prepared for the inevitable death-bite.

Only, it never came.

Instead, he was turned over to his back, his spine cracking ominously as his behind slammed against the hard rooftop floor violently, and assaulted vigorously in an entirely different way he'd expected.

His student was, obviously, waiting for a signal, for once the bucking bronco has made his move, he didn't hesitate for a moment. He literally assaulted those tempting lips, licking, nibbling, biting, sucking and god knows what else. For one, Dino did not know, as his consciousness was flowing somewhere among the clouds while a slick tongue explored his mouth tentatively.

Romario merely averted his gaze. Over years of following the head of the Cavallone nearly everywhere, he became used to mostly everything, and hardly anything could surprise him anymore. He had more than enough self-control to not even make a sound, and merely ensured silently that no one would stumble upon his boss and the cloud guardian in their current state.

Had they not been on the rooftop of Nami middle, the 'incident' would have most likely ended differently, and much less decently.

A silent chuckle echoed over the library where the present Dino sat, relishing in his memories that threatened to soon become the only thing left for him.

No, he never meant it as a game. Never.

Even though he knew from the start that it was wrong of him to desire his six-year younger student, which was, above all, a minor. Although he knew, as time went by, that this was one romance that should never have been, and that would never be allowed. No, not for him.

He was well aware from the beginning – hell, they were both well aware of it – and yet he chose to ignore the blatant fact that now came stumbling down upon him.

The simple obvious fact that he was required to produce a successor.

And that Kyouya was pretty much unable of giving him one.

Not that it was anything unexpected; it would be strange if it was any other way. And yet, he hated that fact with all his heart, for he knew that that _detail_, the _tiny detail that Kyouya was male_, would eventually and inevitably mean the end of their relationship.

No matter how he enjoyed the attention of his men, no matter how happy he felt to see their smiles when they once again succeeded together, as a family – he hated his family right now. There would be no problems for them, if he wasn't the Cavallone boss. There would be no problems for them, if the Cavallone family wasn't centred around the bloodline of the boss and his direct descendants. There would be no problems for them, if he wasn't the last fucking living descendant of the Cavallone.

How he hated it all.

The pressure, the expectations, the requirements he just had to meet...

If only he could be a simple guy, just another no-one.

But then, he would never meet Kyouya. And even if he would somehow meet him, his skylark would never recognise him as equal and accepted him as his lover.

Everything was connected; his position was what gave him Kyouya, and at the same time what will take him away.

With a sigh, he got up and left the library, now bathing in the last rays of the evening sun, splayed over the horizon, painting everything in all possible shades of orange and red. He had spent the entire afternoon thinking and reminiscing over the past he shared with a certain raven-haired Japanese male.

* * *

"Romario."

"Yes, sir?"

"Book a flight for Japan. As soon as possible. I have something to take care of."

_And just thinking and relishing in memories sentimentally won't solve a thing._

His voice was empty, businesslike, devoid of any emotion. Yet his warm amber eyes told a different story; a story of everlasting love, undeniable facts, unwanted but needed decisions, and numbness slowly creeping in to soothe the treacherous aches of the heart robbed of everything.


	2. Clouds Are Capricious Things

Took some time, but at least it's a bit longer than my chapters used to be. I realised that every chapter I write is longer than the one before... :3 Enjoy reading!

* * *

**Chapter Two: Clouds Are Capricious Things**

With a quick glance around, he swept over the surroundings, rapidly pinpointing the things that have changed in his absence. He inhaled the air, taking in the atmosphere that never left the Japanese Vongola base – somehow, even when it was empty, the presence of trust and friendship that binds the Guardians together still lingered in every molecule of oxygen breathed into his lungs, and circling through his blood. It was a place where you never felt alone.

"It's been so long... sure feels nostalgic to be here again."

He passed numerous doors, every single one leading to a room he knew almost like his own home. His fingers were touching the walls as he walked, sliding gently against the rough surface and the polished wood of the doors.

His golden locks fell over the pools of milk chocolate that were his eyes as he stopped before what seemed just another of the countless doors in the hallway.

And yet, it wasn't.

At least not to him.

Behind that door, countless battles took place. Panting, gasping for air, moans and screams used to resonate all over the hallway as those were all battles till death – that is, until they isolated the room with a thick layer of soundproof materials.

A bittersweet smile curled his lips as the memories seeped through his consciousness.

They were fierce battles, truly. Battles for control, for supremacy, for dominance; Kyouya was a fearless fighter, his grip on Dino's wrists iron-hard, his nails steely as they scraped the blonde's back, his teeth razor-sharp as the punctured the lightly sun-kissed skin to draw blood.

And yet, the Cavallone was normally the victor.

It was not like he was the stronger one; no, Dino never deluded him into thinking that he could beat Kyouya in a fight when his raven-haired student's _irritation_ was at its peak. Under normal circumstances, they were more or less equal, and that was what allowed their relationship to progress to this stage. The aloof cloud would never take interest in one weaker than him; and would hate the one stronger than him, that is, until he became strong enough to beat him as well. The only way to get close to him was to be his equal, and Dino knew that well enough.

He had been working his ass off to maintain the status quo; for Kyouya would never rest, and simply kept getting stronger. It seemed like there was no limit to his power; and the Bucking Bronco knew that one day, he would be beyond his reach. All he could do was get the best of him until that time comes, and hope to awaken the feelings that the tonfa-wielder pretended not to have.

The thirty-two year old Dino of the present sighed, his gaze still locked at the polished surface of the locked door in front of him.

If he closed his eyes, he could still hear Kyouya suppressing his moans, biting his lower lip until blood trickled down his porcelain chin; he could still smell the wafting scent of his skin, baffling his senses with its exquisite aroma...

It was strange in a way, how he nearly always ended on top after their battle for supremacy; he felt like he lost, and yet in the end, it was him taking the dominant position. Kyouya _let_ him 'win'. Because still, even though Dino would be considered the one dictating their lovemaking, it was the raven-hair beneath him who mastered the situation.

Truly, Kyouya was indeed a talented student. He learned quickly, almost too quickly.

Before Dino noticed, the younger male's tongue ran over exactly the right spots skilfully, traced his earlobe and played around his neck as if tasting his prey. Before he could react, the tongue was replaced with teeth that seeped into his smooth skin, leaving dark marks or even piercing the delicate layer that covered the muscular body of the Bucking Bronco.

A tonfa to the head brought him back to reality as he barely evaded the charging weapon, the collapsible steel brushing against the tips of his blonde strands.

"Kyo-"

Before he could finish, he felt the air leave his lungs as he got smashed against the wall with overwhelming force. His head was yanked back, brutally hitting the bricks, causing the world before his eyes to dance in circles as he tried to concentrate on the immaculate features of the face and inch away. Such a lovely greeting his Kyouya always gave him.

The relentless eyes the colour of a stormy sky left his own only to steal a quick glance towards the wristwatch.

"Two hundred fifty-seven days, three hours and thirteen minutes,"

His voice was cold and businesslike, with a faint, well-suppressed hint of anger and need behind the uncaring façade. The expression etched on the pale face, eyebrows furrowed with hostility, attempted to clear doubts if there were any: no, he did not _miss_ the Cavallone, he was merely annoyed by the lack of his presence.

"...you're late, Cavallone."

In the meantime, the addressed wriggled out his arms from under the lean body restraining him, and now hugged his raven-haired lover affectionately. Kyouya's glares were rather ineffective on him.

"Awwwwwwww, how sweet! Kyouya missed me..."

Another tonfa to the head, and this time, there was nowhere to run, no manoeuvring space to evade the rapidly approaching steel. A muffled _clang_ rang across the hallway as the end of the collapsible weapon connected with Dino's jaw. _This will certainly leave a mark_, he thought tiredly, but never regretted saying what he did – after all, it was always worth seeing the cloud guardian's face when he pretended not to care.

"Don't flatter yourself, herbivore."

He paused for a moment, looking at the bruise that already started to form on the blonde's jaw with satisfaction. One might mark him as a sadist, but he was merely marking his territory.

"You have an appointment at seven o'clock sharp. My place."

With that said, he leaned forward, tricking the blonde into thinking he was about to steal a kiss, and bit his lower lip to draw blood instead. As he looked up to see the reaction reflected in the pools of melted milk chocolate, he snarled silently in a failed attempt to intimidate the Italian, and let go off him, walking away in the opposite direction without looking back.

"If you're late, I'll bite you to death."

Even though he was facing away and the distance between them increased rapidly, Dino could still easily make out the threat; after all, he had heard the same words times and times again, every time he arrived in Japan after a prolonged stay in his home country. How nostalgic it felt to hear the same words again, to hear the threat that covered the insatiable lust that boiled in their veins; and yet, it just might have been the last time those words were uttered.

* * *

After numerous stops and detours, the tenth generation Cavallone boss finally reached the office of his Vongola counterpart, or his 'little brother', as he liked to think of him. Proper etiquette required that he greeted the boss first, and his visit had been scheduled right after his arrival from the airport – which was two hours ago. Luckily, Tsuna knew his family well enough to reckon with the countless delays; it was only natural that they'll all be excited to see the amiable blonde after so much time passed since his last visit, including a _certain someone_ he absolutely did not want to get on the bad side of.

So it happened that the former no-good-Tsuna, now a respected mafia boss, was merely slightly surprised that the Cavallone managed to reach his office _that early._

Dino beamed him one of his merriest smiles, and ruffled his hair, just like the old times. Just like the old times, yes; they all changed so much in the last ten years and yet everything was still the same. The same smiles that greeted him welcomingly, the same atmosphere of trust and loyalty, the same dutiful guardians that were the personification of their roles, and the same kind-hearted and open-minded leader.

And yet, both of them were uneasy at the reunion, each troubled with their own inescapable burden, connected to one of their duties as the family bosses.

"Long time no see, Tsuna."

The Cavallone was the first one to speak, greeting the Vongola boss cheerfully, trying to hide the dark circles under his tired eyes along with all other signs of his recent worries and concerns. He knew he had no chance of fooling Tsuna's hyper intuition, but at least he could try.

"Dino. "

The Vongola was a bit better at concealing how troubled his mind was; one of the reasons was that every problem seemed less demanding the moment his reliable ally personified in the always-cheerful Cavallone stepped through the doors of his office. It was the air around him, call it charisma if you'd like, that left such an impression on everyone he met, even the random strangers he passed by – an impression that everything will be alright, no matter what.

"Good to see you again. Any news from Italy?"

It was more of a casual question, merely to start the conversation; for they both knew the Japanese Vongola headquarters was up-to-date concerning every single incident in Italy or anywhere else that had anything to do with the mafia, and they contacted the Italian management on a daily basis.

"Ah, nothing special really... the Carro head got an heir few days ago, wouldn't harm to send him your congratulations if you haven't already, although they're weak, they could prove useful; and the Scimmiare merged with Voracelli – remember you told me this was gonna happen? Heh, I guess you were right in reckoning it was their best option if they wanted to keep most of their family organisation intact, and the time was not on their side either, with the old infertile Petruccio nearing his deathbed."

Dino was talking like there was no tomorrow, going over the various petty matters in the world where your acquaintances, debtors and allies meant everything; yet he did not fail to notice that every single matter on which the light was shed throughout their chat, had something to do with providing an heir to your family, or the inability to do so.

It didn't really help to put his mind off the problem that kept screaming in the back of his mind.

Eventually, the question had to be uttered, and they both knew it as they exchanged the polite phrases and concerns about the well-being of various family members, allies and affiliates; it was merely a way of buying time before actually getting there.

"So... Dino... greeted Hibari yet?"

The addressed laughed forcefully, yet his eyes betrayed the truth.

"Hahaha, yeah, I've seen him, seems he missed me alright, ahaha..."

His reply left an uncomfortable silence and a bitter aftertaste in their mouths.

Even without his hyper intuition, even with the lack of insight into the psyche of human relationships on the level of his right-hand-man, Tsuna could still see through the charade. However, he wasn't quite sure how to approach Dino either – even not counting the age difference, they were _different_, in more than one way. Although their problems might seem the same, their worlds were still universes apart, the stars of their solar systems as different as they could possibly be.

But the fact remained that he had to address the matter, for it was not a matter of a love quarrel anymore; when it concerned his cloud guardian, and influenced his work and the well-being of the entire family, it was a problem that concerned all of them, and had to be handled by the boss.

"He's been a bit troublesome ever since you announced you weren't coming for another half a year... I can't complain about missions, they were all executed perfectly, only... there were victims on our side as well, with distinct tonfa-marks. Dino, what exactly is going on?"

The blonde sighed heavily, and the last traces of the fake smile he had been forcing onto his lips left his charming face. He collapsed into the chair, his wheat locks falling over his eyes that were locked on an invisible spot somewhere along the polished mahogany floor.

"I..."

Frantically, he searched his mind for the right words to describe the situation. He went through this conversation a thousand times in his mind before, and yet he was still at a loss for words when it was time for his mental preparations to be implemented into reality.

"I have to get married. To a woman. Provide an heir. As soon as possible, of course."

The replicas were short, brusque; he spat the words out of his mouth as he hated his own tongue for uttering them. He stopped, but Tsuna didn't interrupt him. It was clear that wasn't all. What he said so far was undoubtedly and undeniably a problem, but not something that wouldn't be known from the beginning.

"I have to leave Kyouya," he whispered almost inaudibly.

He was cracking now; a broken man forced to face reality after years of living in denial; forced to willingly act against his wishes and desires.

He couldn't take it anymore.

_He couldn't..._

_...couldn't give up Kyouya._

He was barely speaking now, and yet Tsuna still remained quiet, listening and observing.

"They said... to stop _this game_... go find myself a _woman _and get married...

...they called it a _game_... _a game...!_

I can't... I can't do it..."

Finally, the body that seemed to have become one with the furniture due to the lack of movement or any sort of sign of life apart from the hardly noticeable steady rising and falling of the chest – the body of the tenth generation Vongola boss moved towards his Cavallone counterpart. He half-kneeled down to face his so-called older brother, palms placed on the sun-kissed hands of the man before him, a mere shadow of the formidable Bucking Bronco.

"If you can't, then just don't."

A simple and clear answer; and yet it only seemed to enrage the troubled Dino.

The blonde burst up suddenly, as if aflame, roaring with the emotions going berserk inside him, suddenly toppling over the edge and spilling out in all their irrationality.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND A THING, DO YOU? I CAN'T DO WHAT MY FAMILY ASKS ME TO, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANT TO! THE ONLY ONE I COULD EVER LOVE WON'T GIVE ME A CHILD!"

He was screaming at the top of his lungs now, no more a mere bucking horse, but rather a demon steed completely out of control.

"DON'T YOU GET IT? I'LL NEVER LOVE ANYONE BUT HIM! YOU DON'T –"

"I understand it perfectly."

The Cavallone stopped mid-track as the answer uttered calmly reached his mind.

So true it was, and he has forgotten... yelled at him, said all those things...

The blonde collapsed back into his chair, exhausted and desperate. Somehow, he seemed only a half of his normal self, as he'd lose weight instantly; the crouched curve of his motionless body looked lost in the vastness of the cushioned armchair.

"I'm sorry, Tsuna... so sorry..." he whispered, barely audibly.

_Of course, he knew damn well. How it felt to not be able to comply with the wishes of the family and the desires of your heart. He sure knew well enough._

It was less than a year since Kyoko, with whom he had been married for two years, left him. Certain information concerning the reasons for her leave, were that he was never able to please her. To put it shortly, it seemed the Vongola juudaime sucked in bed. Badly.

It all happened rather quickly and unexpectedly. One day, she would leave for a short holiday with Haru and Chrome, with whom she had become inseparable over years. When she came back, she seemed like a different person altogether, and the baffled Tsuna whose hyper intuition allowed him to notice that immediately couldn't extract a word out of her.

After a week, she started talking.

How she hated this life, hated the mafia, hated being targeted and even more being protected by a bunch of guards hovering around her, monitoring her every move. How she used to love Tsuna, but couldn't take this anymore. How she was constantly and repeatedly disappointed.

She left him that day, to live on her own. They got divorced soon afterwards. And before he got to know she was pregnant with his child, she aborted the undeveloped fetus.

No doubt, Tsuna understood pretty well.

But despite the words thrown at him, he wasn't the one to bear a grudge – he could see that Dino was deeply troubled, and could do nothing but forgive him. Unfortunately, that was also the only thing he could do for his dear friend and ally; for the matter was too delicate to be handled by anyone else but the two people directly impacted by the outcome, and the decision was for the Cavallone to make.

The Vongola juudaime sighed. He really wanted to tell him to get a grip on himself, and to stop mourning over a verdict that has not yet been passed, but he knew he couldn't interfere with this matter. He couldn't just tell him to hold onto the one he loved, even if that was his own guardian. No, that was something for the Bucking Bronco to realise himself.

"Look, I won't say anything, just... please don't do anything foolish, Dino."

A feeble smile managed to curve the corners of his lips slightly as the blonde looked upwards, facing his 'younger brother' with the faintest shine of hope in his warm chocolate eyes gazing through the stray strands of gold that fell over his forehead.

"Thank you, Tsuna."

He stood up, and they shook hands formally, yet with brotherly warmth seeping through. Indeed, despite all the differences between them, the two mafia bosses were like brothers.

The Cavallone turned to leave the office of the Vongola head, visibly calmer than before. However, he stopped with his fingers clutched around the brass doorknob just when he was about to swing the ash wood door open. He turned his head a quarter of a turn, his profile facing Tsuna, and asked playfully:

"Would it be okay for me to stay for a few weeks?"

An affirmative answer returned, along with a stunned gaze from the addressed – after all, Dino never asked how long he could stay until now; actually, if they could have it their way, he'd never leave for Italy at all.

With a short nod, the Cavallone retreated from the office, and off to further detours that would most likely munch away all the time he had until the appointment with his lover. He had a feeling that despite the business-like tone the cloud guardian used, they won't be discussing business or family management. Actually, he didn't think they'll be discussing much at all.

* * *

Can you tell how much I don't like Tsuna? Kufufufu... I was mean to him, wasn't I? :P Thanks for reading, please review if you can spare a moment of your precious time!

P.S.: A HUUUUGE thank you to my beta BadAyka :3


	3. Of Red Wine And Furious Clouds

This took quite a while, and I'm sorry for letting you wait for so long. And I apologize to my dear "Efficiency Aikawa" for having her bug me about this so that I could actually pick up the pace from word count 1800 (that's where I got stuck) onwards. Well, here it is, my first lemon. I tried to make it explicit and yet not too vulgar, if you know what I mean; I'd love to hear your opinion on the way I wrote the -ehm- scenes, critique is encouraged as well - I can't get better if I don't know where I went wrong.

Disclaimer (still) applied, read to your own risk~

P.S.: I know I promised a bloodbath, but I afraid that won't come too soon. Well, at least not in the next chapter. Unless Dino-abuse is considered a bloodbath. Muahahahahah... just joking.

It's 3:26 A.M. and I'm high on bishies.

* * *

**Of Red Wine And Furious Clouds**

* * *

The amber gems darted to the expensive wristwatch, one of the rare distinguishable marks of luxury its owner ever exhibited.

19.27.

_Shit._

Dino cursed inwardly as he realised how long the dinner lasted; the warm welcoming atmosphere of the Vongola that he had let embrace him had made him lose track of time – the minutes and hours were munched away by light chatter over plates of delicious dishes of Japanese and Italian cuisine, thoughts and worries drowned in the glasses of Reicioto Della Valpolicella accompanying the fine pastries served as dessert.

He was going to get bitten to death.

At times like this, he wondered why Kyouya couldn't be like everyone else, rejoicing merrily at the reunion, laughing with everyone while enjoying celebration over full plates of the most exquisite food and glasses of the best wine – but then again, would he fall for someone that would be like everyone else? _Wasn't the reason he couldn't let go now exactly the fact that Kyouya was so much unlike anyone else, that no one could ever even hope to compare to him?_

He drank the last sip of the red wine down, trying to flush down the anxious worry that started to tinge at the back of his throat. It was a damn good wine, an inky-dark gift of the gods with hints of cherries in its tantalising fragrance, mixed with the most exotic spices; the fruity taste tricking you into taking it for a light wine until it hit with the slightly sour-tart pang of tannins – truly an elixir of love, the wine of seduction. Dino made a mental note to take a bottle with him; Kyouya generally refused to drink, but if he could intoxicate his lover with something like _this_...

The wheat-haired boss smirked almost perversely at the sight on the screen of his mind theatre. His plan was surely worth of a try.

While his dinner companions mused about the possible cause of the sudden change in his facial expression (some of them would be rather surprised to learn they have guessed correctly before they abandoned the idea as impossible), he quickly excused himself and left the aftermath of the dinner that was rapidly turning into a drinking party – for that, the high alcohol percentage in the treacherously sweet and light-toned wine was partially to blame. After a detour through the kitchen arming himself with a bottle under his left arm and two glasses in the other, he made his way through the hallways, tracing the path his legs knew all too well, towards the junction of the Vongola headquarters with Kyouya's personal residence.

19.48.

Dino gulped audibly when he checked his watch again. He is certainly going to get bitten to death; he'll count himself lucky if he manages to survive tonight.

After a silent knock foreboding his arrival, he slid the door open slowly, and entered a gloomy room, dimly lit by a single candle, devoid of any furniture but a futon in the middle and the low square miniature table that supported the single source of light. He took a step forward; hesitantly, his left foot joined the right just past the threshold of doom and he slid back the door behind him, sealing his fate with such a simple gesture.

He looked left, and saw nothing but emptiness; he looked right to find the same. Had Kyouya given up on waiting?

It would surely be possible, given that he was never patient unless he had a good reason to be; and while the Cavallone thought their nightly activities a perfectly good reason if not one of the best, he could never be certain about his Skylark.

"You kept me waiting."

It wasn't an accusation of a desperate jealous girlfriend who was left at home waiting for her possibly unfaithful lover to return from working overtime; it was a simple fact, stated with such coldness that sent shivers down his spine.

Dino could not make out the shape of his lover until the raven-haired Japanese leaned forward, allowing the faint glow of the candle to illuminate the immaculate features of his face, showing no expression apart from apathetic coldness accompanied by a momentarily twinkle of murderous intent in the silver orbs of his eyes.

"I was not aware of the fact that you intended to commit suicide, _Cavallone_."

The blonde chuckled nervously. Being addressed by his last name never meant anything good; it was something Kyouya used to do to establish the distance between them.

He knew an apology wouldn't cut it right now (or, rather it never did when it came to Kyouya), and would probably only enrage his lover more – oh yes, he was enraged despite the cool façade he exhibited. It was clearly evident from the way he restrained himself from showing any sign of anger, even the slightest twitch of an eyebrow; he couldn't remember when he had last seen him pissed off to such a level.

_Well, it'll make ending it and letting go easier, won't it?_

Dino hated his own treacherous thoughts. Moreover, he knew his eyes showed his torment; he wasn't a good liar, he never was. To the ones dear to him, and to those that knew how to read him, everything on his mind was written in bold capitals all over his face. He also knew that Kyouya would notice it; the sharp gaze of the Skylark worked like a detector for 'herbivorous' thoughts and inclinations, and nothing could remain hidden from it.

"I..."

His face twitched into a painful grimace for a moment so short you couldn't be sure if it was true or just the light playing on his features, before his lips stretched into a wide grin – the one that Kyouya always remarked it made him look like a fool. The smile did not quite reach his eyes, but his lover wasn't the one to ask questions.

"You wouldn't believe it, they hardly let me leave, ahahahah... Anyway, I brought some really good wine, you should try it, I know you don't like liquor, but this one is special, it's one of the finest Italian wines–"

"Fine,"

The Cavallone could not help but let his eyes bulge in shock – he surely had not expected Kyouya to accept his suggestion that easily, not even in his wildest dreams–

"...after I bite you to death."

And, without further notice, the half-intoxicated and weaponless boss found himself attacked by the furious cloud guardian, now baring his teeth as if possessed by a bloodthirsty demon – no, as if he himself was a bloodthirsty deity of the old times, a vengeful youkai furiously trashing about in his undying rage, and Dino could do nothing but reminiscence nostalgically about the old days of their battles as he watched the tonfa being whipped out seemingly out of nowhere and slammed directly into his stomach, forcefully bending his body in half and causing him to spit blood.

His arms flung towards his head instinctively, in a futile attempt to protect himself.

However, the hit never came. Instead, a metallic _clang_ resonated across the room, a clear sign of a tonfa dropped to the ground, followed by silent steps and a gentle rustle of clothes when the cloud guardian sat down.

"You're not even worth biting to death when you're like this,"

True enough, Kyouya had never enjoyed fighting him when he was unarmed, weakened by blood loss or in generally in any condition that severely impaired his combat abilities. He always sought out only strong opponents; no one weaker than him was of any interest.

"...herbivore."

It had been a while since he called him that, too. But then, Dino hadn't exactly given him the reason to do so until now; he knew damn well not to appear weak in any sub-meaning of the word. He believed – no, he was pretty sure about that – that Kyouya would get tired of him if he showed any weakness, no matter how small. That he would lose his interest, cast him aside like some worthless piece of trash, like an old toy with a broken arm, doomed to never see the light of the day again because his maker made one of its joints too weak for the child's hands.

Yet, thinking about it now, he was showing him his one, fatal weakness from the very beginning; his weakness that was _Kyouya himself._

A muffled _plop_ disturbed the flow of his thoughts; it sounded familiar, but he couldn't exactly put a finger on it. Crouching down with his head between his knees as he was now, he couldn't exactly see the source of it, but looking up meant having to face his lover, which was something he didn't feel he was able to cope with right now.

He probably already hated him by now, being such a pitiful mess as he is at the moment.

Kyouya sighed. "You look pretty pitiful, Cavallone."

Last name-base; he's maintaining the distance again. But at least it's better than being called a herbivore. Would it be possible for Kyouya to forgive him for this moment of weakness, to forgive for _him_ being his weakness?

_Gulp._

_Kyouya is drinking something?_

_Gulp._

...

_No way, could that sound before have been...?_

"Hn. It doesn't taste half-bad."

_No way, no way! There's no way in hell Kyouya would voluntarily _and_ on his own accord drink something alcoholic!_

The silent rustle of silk against silk betrayed the Cloud's movement as he left his place and moved silently like a large untamed panther towards the Cavallone, stopping at an inch of distance before him. The blonde sensed the presence of the hand before he felt it slide down his jaw to grab his chin a little too violently, yanking his head upwards with ease. He looked at those silver-stained merciless eyes, and failed to find the resentment he expected there; what he saw was a bit of an annoyance for sure, but not hate, disdain or boredom. Annoyance, maybe with a hint of sadistic ideas, but something else as well; something he despite seeing it reflected in his partner's eyes rather frequently for the last ten years, had still not quite gotten used to watching it swirl inside those grey orbs faintly tinted with blue. Pure lust, desire for physical contact between their bodies, a demand for the pleasure-bringing friction.

Kyouya's left hand followed the first one, but reached towards his mouth, wiping some of the blood off his lips. With a strange glint in his eyes, the raven-haired male observed the crimson liquid, in colour so much resembling the wine he had just consumed, and yet completely different in composition and structure. He brought the hand to his own lips and licked it clean, savouring the taste of the blood in his mouth as if he was evaluating some high-class wine, all the while looking _oh so beautiful and perfect and seductive –_

_Wait, what? Kyouya looking intentionally seductive?_

_..._

_Don't tell me the reason for his willing abstinence from alcohol was that he couldn't take it...?_

"But I like _this_ taste better," the normally cold-mannered Vongola cloud guardian literally _purred_ in a seductive voice, before he dove in to capture his lovers' lips with his own.

No, Hibari Kyouya certainly wasn't a man with a high alcohol tolerance; one would might even go as far as saying he has rather surprisingly low tolerance for alcohol drinks – but only if he was one hundred percent sure the aforementioned person is not able to hear him or learn of the fact that he was the source of such a rumour.

Realising this, Dino couldn't say he didn't find it amusing and endearing; but he surely wasn't one to complain, especially not when this was one of the precious rare occasions Kyouya himself initiated anything between them that wasn't a fight. Rather than complaining or wondering, he resigned himself from the thoughts that burdened him, shoved them into the darkest corner of his mind and let it all loose.

Without a second thought, he dove deeper into the heated kiss they shared, and wrapped his strong arms around Kyouya, casually sliding the yukata off his shoulders along the way, exposing the delicate porcelain-like skin surprisingly unmarred for such a fierce fighter. Slowly, as he has gotten used to doing things that seemed to indicate his supremacy in order not to alarm his favourite Skylark, he tilted them both forward while not even taking a breath from the hasty kisses they shared, speaking of the longing for each other that had been permeating their entire beings for all too long now.

The blonde secured his grip around his lover before slowly rising, pulling the capricious Japanese along gently, and nearly smirking against his sensuous lips as the latter wrapped his legs around him, grinding their hips together while resigning himself to Dino entirely, clinging onto the Italian while letting him to take it upon himself to ensure they make it to the bed.

No sooner than Kyouya's back hit the sheets did their lips part; and, panting heavily while still trying to hold back with the last piece of dignity they had left, their breaths mixing in the inch of space between them, they were hardly humans anymore – they were beasts, craving for each other, craving for the touches, the friction, the thrusts...

Dino's hands reached for the sash of his lover's yukata impatiently, while Kyouya swiftly took care of his tie and shirt buttons, and was already proceeding to the zipper of his pants while the klutz still busied himself with the simple piece of cloth binding the last part of decency together. Planting chaste kisses along the milky-white neck, inhaling the addictive aroma of his Skylark along the way, it was no wonder his mind was too distracted to operate on the knot effectively – but somehow, he succeeded in the end, which can be probably blamed on the years of practice that had almost made the undressing subconscious.

Somewhere in the process – even Dino wasn't sure when exactly – his pants slid off him and landed on the ground, and all it was left to soothe the friction urging him to _fuck fuck fuck Kyouya so badly he couldn't sit in the morning_ was a single layer of thin silk of his boxers. His lips moved downwards, marking _his_ Cloud all the way from the thin neck and down his torso. Despite the misleading softness of Kyouya's immaculate skin in the most obvious places, there were far more marks on his body than Dino would like to see there; marks of _other men_, of people he had fought. He could not erase them, but he always made sure that the quantity of _his_ marks by far surpassed every other – only then could he lie down at peace, reassuring himself that Kyouya was _his_.

He felt the calloused fingers tug onto his shirt, and Dino lifted his gaze for a moment to see what it was; he smirked when he saw Kyouya trying to rid him of his shirt. No matter what the Japanese said, no matter how much he scolded him and for how long he listed the number of places the Cavallone was not allowed to go, he actually liked the tattoos; he always told Dino to remove his shirt, and then he would run his fingers down the intricately patterned skin while his eyes followed every detail. But there was another reason to this even though Kyouya himself would never admit that; a few years ago, the Bucking Bronco's collection of tattoos became larger by one – on is upper back, a bit to the left (just where his heart would lie underneath) there was a single skylark among the clouds, and the Cavallone's Skylark never failed to check if it was still there.

Dino continued his ministrations, smirking against the delicate porcelain-like skin while marring it with yet another mark of his possession, all the while knowingly making his capricious Cloud more and more impatient. With every chaste kiss, with every run of his tongue down the pale silky skin, with every new mark of his possession tarnishing the unrivalled beauty beneath him, he ground his hips down against his lover's, yet refusing to go any further for the time being; he still had enough self-restraint left to drive Kyouya crazy to the point where he would have to forsake his pride, and let the words the blonde had been waiting for slip past his slightly parted lips.

"Dino... get on... with it... already..."

The words were hardly more than rugged breaths coming out of his pink-tinted lips softly parted to leave out the uncontrolled panting he tried to suppress; but that was more than enough for Dino to lose the last shattered pieces of self-restraint he had.

"Dino... what are you... waiting for... fuck me already..."

The wine was certainly doing wonders to Kyouya in bed; he was normally more violent, and never so sensuous and seductive; Dino almost choked on his saliva as he heard Kyouya whine and whimper under him _oh so desperate and oh so seductive and oh so perfect and his his just his._ Before the last pieces of his reason floated away on the words his lover had just uttered, Dino made a mental note to get him to drink a bit of wine more often.

Without a warning, he inserted the first finger, and muffled the yelp of surprise with his mouth against Kyouya's, hungry, insatiable, always demanding _more and more and more_. His thoughts were far from anything coherent, the only thing his brain was occupied with were the images of his lover under him, etching each of the precious expressions this new, _slightly _intoxicated Skylark offered deep into his retina never to forget.

The next digit followed right afterwards, revealing all the urge the Cavallone had been fighting back until his mind went blank and he could see nothing else but Kyouya, hear nothing else but his sensuous rich baritone, feel nothing else than his perfect satin skin stretched over the lithe body, and taste nothing else but the salty-sweet taste of the flesh his tongue lapsed over hungrily.

Kyouya, the self-proclaimed carnivore, naturally wouldn't show any sign of his distress, but the Cavallone was aware enough of his situation, with the months between now and their last meeting most likely being the fact that contributed the most to his lover's tightness, and how to put it, _inelasticity_. On the other hand, that meant the Bucking horse was still the only one the Skylark would allow to _keep him company_, and that was the fact that the Cavallone savoured and treasured like a precious gem; for it meant that the inexpressive Cloud at least allowed his actions to speak silent words of commitment for him.

He muffled the whimpers and half-cries he knew Kyouya would hate to let to resonate across the room with his lips crushing against the Skylark's, nudging his tongue into the untamed dance that left them both breathless, while rubbing his other hand against the hard length of his lover, just enough to accompany the pain with pleasure, yet still teasingly.

Dino would have to lie if he said he didn't like teasing Kyouya; it could be even stated that it was one of his favourite pastime activities (of which the first ten all included Kyouya, by the way), and the moment he had coaxed his capricious former student into bed, a new world of possibilities opened to him. One of the things he loved about Kyouya the most was the face he was making when his body was writhing in pleasure, but just enough to not push him over the edge, and he was still trying to hide it – and when the same face turned into something as close to begging as the proud Cloud would ever get, Dino knew it was time to _fuck him and fuck him good_ or face getting bitten to death.

It wasn't quite enough yet, Dino knew, but his patience was not limitless, his lover's even less so.

He withdrew the fingers from Kyouya's entrance, and without hesitation, slid into the tight opening, sheathing his length as deep as he could into Kyouya. The latter cringed with pain before he could get a hold of himself – he had always been a little tight, and abstinence surely did not make it any better.

Dino's hand reached to caress the porcelain cheek of his own beautiful doll that looked _oh so fragile but oh so perfect and beautiful and sexy and more importantly his_ and whispered silently "Sorry for hurting you", before he started moving inside him.

Kyouya, not exactly thrilled at the idea of moving when the pain still throbbed in his behind violently and soared up his spine, but dropped all intentions of arguing back when pleasure pumped through his veins as Dino hit the prostate with every thrust into his fragile-looking body, the sensation leaving him gasping for air and forcing moans down his throat mixing with pain in a bittersweet elixir of love.

But Kyouya was, obviously enough, not a woman; his body might look thin and fragile like that of a porcelain doll, yet he is as sturdy as any fighter, and stronger in every aspect physical or mental, than any of the Guardians. That was why the cheerful Cavallone boss could only be himself with Kyouya, could only toss away the shackles of self-restraint with him; it was one of the things that made him his one and only.

Sex with Kyouya was always a Dance Macabre, the dance of death that sent adrenaline raging down his veins, a lethal fight of pleasure with the formidable murderous beauty as his opponent; however, today was different. Maybe it was the wine they both had, maybe it was the lengthy abstinence, maybe it was the troublesome future weighing down upon them, but tonight was nothing like before. It was a feverish dance, a passionate flamenco between the sheets, fuelled by their burning desire; their harmonies were cries in the moonlight, their choreographies were the instinct drawing their bodies together in unison, their rhythm was the joint heartbeat of their wildly racing hearts.

Even if their minds didn't, being worlds away from reality, their bodies knew well what to do as they moved against each other in sync, Dino pounding Kyouya into the battered mattress restlessly, Kyouya responding instinctively, bucking his hips upwards to meet the blonde's every thrust. His fingers clawed on the tanned back, trying to bring him _closer closer even closer_ to feel him with his everything _feel him inside and it felt oh so good so good._

With every deeper shade of pink brought to the flushed cheeks, with every strangled moan escaping the sweetly inviting parted lips, with every bead of sweat that trickled down the marble-sculpted chest ever so slowly, Dino's thrusts went _deeper and faster _and Kyouya writhing under him, nearly stealing his nickname the way he kept bucking up to meet him halfway _oh so tight and perfect and his_ and he didn't know where was up and where was down and the world kept spinning around him in a twilight blur as he _fucked Kyouya deep and fast and good like never before_.

Both breathless, both gasping for air but not allowing themselves the time to take a breath, they spiralled down the rollercoaster of pleasure mindlessly, feverishly, with the passion of a python devouring his victim in its last struggles for life; their sex was an unhealthy addiction to them, a drug that once tasted took a grip of their very being and wouldn't let them go.

Dino felt the familiar feeling spiralling in the pit of his stomach as he felt Kyouya arch beneath him in a relentless cry, and suddenly the world went blank, disappearing in white nothingness before it exploded in a display of vibrant colours, blinding his gaze and rendering his senses void except for the sensation that shot through him as he threw his head up towards the sky in climax.

Lifted from the ground and at the same time more aware of reality than ever, aware of _his_ Kyouya under him as they both rode out the wave of pleasure _connected, unified,_ _together_; soaring among the clouds detached from reality and at the same time feeling every single fibre in his body contract and release in the glorious moment as pleasure washed over him, leaving him speechless, thoughtless, senseless.

Dino fell over his lover in exhaustion, muffling Kyouya's half-hearted complaint about him being heavy, the purring baritone of Kyouya's enthralling voice being the last thing that rang through his consciousness while he nudged the raven-haired male into a more comfortable position and drifted into sleep with his arms wrapped around him tightly, just managing to notice the sleek porcelain arms follow his example before his consciousness slipped from this world.

_Why does this have to feel so right?_


	4. Selfish

This one's a bit shorter, but it had to be a separate chapter since it doesn't fit with either the previous or the next chap. Enjoy! As always, comments and critique are encouraged and much appreciated.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Selfish**

**

* * *

**

There was no soothing warmth of the rising sun underground; no vivaciously chirping birds announcing the break of dawn he was used to being awoken to. At least there shouldn't have been; but Hibari Kyouya was not a man to be depleted of anything merely due to the fact that his residence was situated below ground zero. A faint orange light, something that could be called a simulated sunrise, slowly engulfed the room while an entirely-out-of-tune chirping filled the air with the melody of the Nami Middle Anthem – after all these years still the only song Hibird could manage to sing without _entirely_ missing the melody.

The tenth generation Cavallone boss was no longer surprised at the remarkable simulation of the awakening of nature, yet he still marvelled at this invention of his _cute little student_, as he still liked to occasionally refer to his lover in his mind. Yet, the display of dawn break could never compare to what lied right next to him.

It was no longer a shock if the blonde awakened in the Cloud Guardian's bed; more than that, it became a habit, and anyone would cast cautious glances towards the unsociable and rather bad-tempered guardian if the Cavallone's residence during his stay in Japan was anywhere _but_ Hibari's bed. To everyone in the Vongola, Dino's staying in Kyouya's bed was a sign of peaceful days when they were relieved of the fear of a furious Cloud venting out his wrath on innocent bystanders; but to Dino, it meant so much more – it meant his Skylark was willing to open up to him, allow him to invade his personal bubble uncontrolled; and he cherished the precious moments the pale beauty fell asleep in his arms, leaning against his chest with raven locks splashed against the tanned skin.

To him it was not the merry chirping, and certainly not the artificial sunrise, no matter how accurate approximation to the real thing it was, that made him smile in the morning; what did crease his lips into a blissfully happy smile was the strong yet lithe body curled against his chest, pretending to be still asleep because doing anything even remotely close to cuddling consciously and in a perfectly sober state would hurt his pride. The blonde ran his hand through the silky locks that seemed to capture the faint light and make it their own, shining with such strange radiance that he could not help but marvel.

He kept telling himself "just a little bit more", just like a child in the morning, woken up by his mother insisting he needs to wake up and eat his breakfast, otherwise he's going to be late for school. Just a little bit more... it was what he had always wanted, wasn't it? Every time he was supposed to return to Italy, he kept thinking _'just a little bit more, just a bit longer'_... every time he reminded himself he should break up with Kyouya and find himself a woman, he told himself _'just a bit longer'_...

But a bit was never enough, was it?

After the 'a bit longer' passed, he still wanted to stay just a bit longer. It was a repetitive like a never-ending story, a cycle he could not escape from.

No, he didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay with Kyouya... at all times... forever, if he would allow.

He wanted a one-way ticket to Kyouya-realm.

Is it really _that_ wrong for him to want that?

The blonde sighed and slowly untangled himself from underneath the smaller male, gently placing him on the bed, careful not to spill the warmth they had generated and preserved under the covers – no matter what the raven said, he knew he disliked cold, and would – either subconsciously or pretending so – snuggle closer to the warmth.

There were probably better places to think with a clear mind than this room, still filled with the musky scent of the fortnight. But then again, this was not a decision his reason alone can make; moreover, if this was truly the last time they could be together, he would not leave his Skylark's side for even a second. Even if that meant getting bitten to death for crowding.

He made sure he didn't slide the linen sheets off the still-pretending-to-be-asleep guardian, and sat up.

For some reason, he felt he could understand Gokudera's craving for nicotine right now; he had tried smoking once, in high school, and took a dislike to it immediately – however, the heavy morning after sex somehow seemed the right moment to light up a cigarette and smoke it in long, lazy drags while contemplating in the faint light emanating from the orange shimmering globes. It almost felt like he was missing something between his fingers as he supported his chin with his hand; and he could almost smell the imaginary scent of tobacco.

To be honest, even _if_ he had a cigarette with him, he wouldn't dare to smoke at all – the Skylark had a surprising good nose, and there was no lying to it – not to mention in Kyouya's room to top it all. He suppressed a chuckle as he imagined how the Cloud would look angered by something like that, and quickly decided it was not something to discover in reality.

Even though he didn't have a problem dealing with an upset, angry, or even bloodthirsty Kyouya, he'd rather not be the cause of his wrath. The raven might be cute when he's just a little upset at the Cavallone's clumsiness, or just slightly annoyed at his exhibits of affection, and he was magnificent like a deity of war when he unleashed his fury in battle; but as much as Dino was always impressed when watching him mercilessly striking down his enemies, it would tore him apart to have to face the same expression directed at him.

Who would've thought that behind his confidence, fighting prowess, laughter and possessiveness, the tenth generation Cavallone boss was still somewhat insecure...?

It wasn't even funny anymore... it was pathetic.

He could never really tell what Kyouya felt for him, if anything at all. Sure, there were moments when he was certain they shared the same feelings, moments when he believed actions spoke louder than words, and claimed that the mere fact that the Cloud had allowed him so close was proof enough... but then again, it was what he _choose to believe,_ what he _wanted to believe._

He could have just as well been fooling himself.

Kyouya, _his_ Kyouya, could just as well have been playing with him... taking the best he can out of their relationship, just satisfying his corporeal needs and enjoying the attention.

Everything was possible; for, although the entire Vongola praised Dino as the only one who could tell and understand the Cloud guardian's thoughts, the truth was he couldn't tell at all. All he could do was guess and make assumptions based off the knowledge he had of his mind processes. His face, however, was just as unreadable to him as it had been when they first met, an enigma he felt he could never solve.

When they were younger, he used to wonder whether the array of his feelings was limited to annoyance, anger, hate, pride, blood thirst and sadistic thrill. He soon learned the opposite, and in a rather surprising way; he had been trembling for the life of a tiny yellow bird that dared to land on his student's head during their training when the teen suddenly smiled and gently stroked the bird's fluffy feathers. Dino could remember being shocked so much he almost fell nose-first to the ground; but it was that tiny display of affection that gave him hope.

Hope that his love might not be unrequited; the same hope he kept clinging to even today.

He had been arguing with the elders of the famiglia for nearly seven years now; he managed to hide their relationship during the first three years, but they probably saw it coming – he had always been a bad liar, and lying to those he considered his family was something he could hardly fathom doing at that time. He had been arguing on and on, fighting for their love – fighting for what _he believed was love._

But, had he been fighting just for his own sake, so that his own feelings _won't go to waste_?

In ten years, Kyouya had never said to him anything even remotely close to _'I love you'_ or at least _'I like you'_ or even just _'I want you to stay with me'_. Even though he knew well enough that expecting confessions of love from the Cloud would be foolish as well as fruitless, he just wanted a sign more than just silent approval of his actions or rather, just lack of disapproval.

His thoughts wandered to the events of last night... to the image of a slightly intoxicated Kyouya that marvellously contradicted his sober self. They say that the heart speaks out when you're drunk... that people that restrain themselves in sober state resign themselves to their wishes when drunk... should he believe that his lover's actions had been his desires, his true face he'd been hiding even from him...?

The napping raven shifted in bed, seeking comfort, and, still pretending to be asleep, snuggled closer to the warm sitting form of the Cavallone.

He knew he wasn't asleep.

Was it just the warmth he was seeking, the proximity of just _any_ other human being ...or did he want to be close to _him_? Did it matter to him who it was, as long as he was warm, comfortable, and satiated?

He couldn't tell... he could never tell.

"Ne, Kyouya." He nudged the pretending-to-be sleeping form next to him gently, but didn't turn around to face the addressed.

There was no response, yet Dino was certain his Skylark was awake.

"Tell me... what am I to you?"

A heavy silence dawned on them, despite the fact that the question had been said lightly, airy even – Dino didn't want to alarm the other male, yet he did exactly that, for his voice could not have been more forced and strung with pain.

"Hn," grunted the addressed, annoyance permeating the syllable most frequently used in his limited spoken vocabulary.

"What kind of a question is that, Cavallone?" His voice sounded like a distant growl, muffled by the pillow from which he didn't bother to lift his face from.

"Just a question. Is it so hard to answer?"

He didn't bother to force his voice to sound light and airy anymore, being fully aware he had been found out. Nor could he manage his signature smile, or tease Kyouya about being so reluctant to answer a simple question as he surely would in the past. This was not a joking matter anymore; he was serious, probably more than during any of the meetings he held with the warring families, and it was a question to which the answer could just as well determine the rest of his life.

Kyouya was left silent, too silent to be normal.

He didn't move, not even twitch a bit, even his breathing seemed to die down to shallow inaudible breaths that hardly made his chest rise and fall.

He was thinking carefully, considering what to say – that much was evident to Dino. He wasn't sure, though, whether that was a good or a bad omen; all he knew right now that his heart was racing like an express train, threatening to tear his chest apart and deafen him with the loud thumping.

...

"You're _mine_.

That's all there is to it."

The words were silent, yet strong and determined. And while the wheat-haired mafia boss was still digesting the words, trying to decipher the meaning behind them, he added another sentence, sounding final and definite:

"And I don't let anyone take what belongs to me."

...

It took him a few moments to take in what had just happened; and when he turned around in surprise, he found his lover's face buried in the pillow that was supposed to hide the corners of the raven's mouth that kept tugging into a smile as well as the faintest shade of rose that sneaked up on his cheeks.

...and Dino knew that was the closest to a love confession that would ever leave his lover's lips.

"Kyouya..." he whispered almost inaudibly, before he lied back down next to his lover and brought him closer, almost smirking with incredulous satisfaction when he felt the lithe arms wrap around his torso.

For a moment, he was reminded of what he had come here to do;

he remembered the many deeds he had done in order to get his famiglia afloat again, the many days he had spent training and learning, the many days he had spent secluded in the Cavallone head office, and all the faces of the members of his _family._

And he decided it was his turn to be a bit selfish.


	5. Bad Boss

**Chapter 5: Bad Boss**

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They stood up, alive and covered in foreign blood, triumphant yet far from proud of the feat accomplished. Their bloodstained faces were reflected in the pool of crimson liquid while they made their way over the numerous nameless corpses, closing the distance between them. The blond sought the raven's cold gaze, thanking whatever deity would come to his mind for preserving his lover's life for yet another day.

It's been two months already; two months since he had made his choice, since he decided it was time for him to be a bit selfish. It was a good thing he chose to declare his decision from a safe distance and with Kyouya by his side; had he gone home first, he would've never made it out of the manor, at least not alive; for even though the famiglia needed him, the elders wouldn't think twice about having him assassinated if he disobeyed their wishes under any and all circumstances.

He had known what to expect, really; and yet, he was still shocked when the first hired assassins arrived to silently dispatch of him in one of the famiglia's winter resorts that the pair picked as their fortress. They weren't of the Cavallone, that much was evident – yet it was painstakingly obvious that none other than the Cavallone elders were the one to have hired them.

After two more attempts on the don's life that were easily deflected, the elders declared Dino Cavallone a traitor and an enemy of the Cavallone famiglia, ordering their troops and everyone affiliated to unleash their attacks on him; and Dino was forced to stand by and watch as the famiglia he cherished so much begun falling apart right before his eyes. Naturally, roughly three thousand of their members had never even seen him – and those did not think twice about following the orders issued. Yet, anyone that had ever seen the Decimo's smile, experienced his kindness and witnessed the effort he put into rebuilding the famiglia found it hard to do so; roughly two thousand men deserted their posts, refusing to attack their boss even if it was against the orders of the elders, and stood back from the dispute. The affiliated families did not dare to get involved either, for they knew not only how forgiving the Decimo's kindness is, but as well how relentless his wrath can be. Approximately two hundred of Dino's most loyal men lead by Romario, however, stood their ground against the elders, doing their best trying to convince them against attacking as well as cautiously sabotaging their operations, supporting their boss loyally as much as they could without risking their necks too openly.

To say that Dino was devastated would have been an understatement; yet he knew these were the consequences of the decision he had made, and since he wasn't about to go back on his word, he just had to face the situation as it was. There's nothing that could've hurt him more than having to kill those that once proudly fought for him, those that were once willing to risk their lives for his sake –

nothing, except losing Kyouya.

And that was why he was willing to shed the blood of those who had trusted him, respected him, looked up to him; that was why he was now standing in a pool of blood amongst the corpses of the members of his famiglia, slaughtered by his own hand.

'_Am I a bad boss?'_

He chuckled bitterly, amazed by the sheer level of his own naivety.

'_Does a proper boss kill his own family members?'_ he asked himself, not wanting to hear the answer echoing through his head.

His gaze flickered over the motionless corpses strewn across the floor like exotic rugs, splattered with exquisite crimson. His nostrils flared as the heavy scent of drying blood splashed over his senses, and anywhere he looked, he could only see red... red, red, red everywhere...

Crimson splashing about, a red ocean devouring the world, time frozen in a garnet –

He started laughing; loudly, bitterly, uncontrollably. The spastic convulsions shook his body in a fit of insane laughter, bringing him down to his knees... his voice, with tone light years away from the melodic jingle it normally held, echoed over the hall ominously, holding a closer resemblance to shrieks of a dying beast than any humanoid voice.

_He had killed his own famiglia, and was now wondering whether he was a bad boss? How much closer to the ridiculous excuse for a boss Squalo once dubbed him can he possibly get?_

He lied there and laughed, chuckling and chortling and guffawing among the corpses, writhing in seizures and smearing the blood all over him. It wasn't funny, it was intolerably sad and excruciatingly painful – which was exactly why he could do nothing but laugh unwaveringly.

He lied there and laughed, because he was nothing more than a ridiculous excuse for a boss, having let this happened. He laughed until his sides hurt and he had to clutch his hands around himself, bracing his body in fear of having it fall apart – and then he still laughed, and laughed some more.

He lied there and laughed, until the cold steel of a tonfa came crushing to his head, knocking him back to reality. Then, he stilled, like a bug cornered by a spider – when it already knows it's going to be devoured, and gives up all hope and stops resisting.

He lied there motionless and silent, until a pair of sturdy arms had wrapped themselves around him possessively, and brought him up into a sitting position – only to deliver another hit to his head, this time a fist.

"Stop being a herbivore," said the raven, his steel-hard eyes staring at Dino, and he could swear he could hear his otherwise ice-cold voice shake a little – had he been in a better and, if possible more sane condition, he would've teased him for that.

Thus, the Cavallone Decimo only nodded shortly, seemingly calmed down for now, and brought to reality – after all, Kyouya was his anchor to reality, his reason for doing this and his reason to live.

He might've turned into a bad boss; yet, he had spent his entire life giving his everything for the family, and there was only one thing he ever wished for himself – was it that wrong to decide to have that one thing, no matter what consequences it might bring?

He maybe wasn't the best of bosses, he might've not remained loyal to his famiglia in everything; but at least he had been loyal to himself – because no matter what, he knew that in fact he had chosen Kyouya over his family a long time before he had to make the actual decision.

He dove for the raven's lips hungrily, and the self-proclaimed carnivore hummed in approval as their tongues lapsed into a passionate dance for domination. A _danse macabre_ it was indeed, loving Hibari Kyouya; it was a thought that crossed Dino's mind frequently, as well as an idea that flawlessly corresponded to those who called him suicidal for loving this man – and this moment, a moment of their triumphant kiss amongst the corpses depicted it perfectly.

They didn't stop at the kiss though; like they ever could.

The Cavallone traced the outline of the raven's jaw all the way to his neck, leaving chaste kisses down the pale skin, while the said raven made haste to free them of their clothes, hardly taking time to unbutton their bloodied shirts before casting them both off – not that it mattered anyway, both having been ruined already.

Dino smirked against the delicate skin, once again amused at his lover's unsuppressed eagerness, and bit down on the pale neck, earning a surprised gasp despite the fact that Hibari should have already been used to the blond taking his catchphrase quite literally. He licked over the spot quickly, as if he wanted to soothe the pain, as the male under him urged him to move on by bucking up his hips to grind their groins together.

Amusing as it was, when making love, the Bucking Horse became the one doing the biting, and the one famous for his biting to death would buck enough to put the bearer of the nickname to shame had anyone else witness their activities.

But Dino would not object to speeding up the pace, especially when provided with such _hard_ evidence as his lover's lower half pressed against his provided. His attention immediately diverted to one of Kyouya's nipples, licking around the tip tentatively at first, before taking the erect bud in his mouth and starting to suck on it. His hands were far from idle, however; and while the raven obviously had nothing better to do than to tangle his fingers into the blond locks, he would busy himself with the buckle of the Cloud's belt and the zipper of his pants, ensuring himself just enough room to be able to sneak his hand into the currently rather tight boxers, fondling his lover's erect member and enjoying the exquisite moans he earned with his actions.

After deciding the heated body under him was writhing enough, panting in need, he swiftly and with used moves got rid of Kyouya's pants and underpants in one; the Cavallone Decimo was by this point almost as impatient as his lover, and he roughly shoved a finger into the latter's entrance, muffling the surprised and slightly pained gasp with his lips over the raven's, entangling him in another passionate kiss.

"Nnn...nnh" moaned the raven, adding vibrations to the kiss while their tongues fought for dominance, making the blond topping him groan in approval as he impatiently added another finger, widening the entrance, his fingers scissoring the lithe fighter under him.

Wet sounds emitted from beneath them as Hibari arched, bucked and fell back to the ground repetitively, wet sounds from the blood bathing them as they were about to make love at the scene of carnage, embracing the sight of death and love in one, mixing the heavy musky scent of their bodies with the heavy scent of blood and death that hung over.

"Nnn... Cava...llo... nnn..."

The raven's fingers fumbled with the Cavallone's belt clumsily, all shaky from the feverish desire overflowing him although he'd rather die than admit that. It was only the fact that no one could see him that let him get away with unstained pride as the blond's fingers caught his, helping them steady and execute the mission. He wouldn't wait for Kyouya to reach for his underpants, though; he was too impatient for that, and as much of a relentless fighter the man had always been, they both knew he could only play strong for a limited amount of time.

Everything was hurried, rushed, like there was no tomorrow – the clothes thrown into the pool of slowly drying blood, the last remnants of decency in the form of the constricting fabric discarded rapidly in favour of savouring their passion; everything was as if this could just as well be their last night together, as if there will be no morning after this time – and the ironic part was, that it might just as well won't be any.

Kyouya hardly had time to adjust to the third digit being pushed into him before the fingers moved out of him abruptly, leaving him panting and wanting more; and the Cavallone with his breath no less ragged and strewn with insatiable desire than his yanked up his legs and thrust into him, sheathing his entire length into the younger male's entrance.

"Aaaahhhnnnnn..." would be the closest at least partially articulate approximation to the sound the raven uttered while the blond slammed into him relentlessly.

He would then bathe his lover's torso in apologetic kisses for making him endure the pain, and wait for him to adjust while the raven pretended to be strong, acting like nothing ever hurt and the Cavallone was the only one who needed the slight pause, despite the fact that they both knew better than that. It was their game, the game they played each and every time, and yet hadn't gotten tired of it in all these years.

When Kyouya bucked up against him impatiently, he would know he was ready; not only ready, but rather eager as well, and hesitating at this point would have only earned the Bucking Horse a few bruises.

The male underneath him growled lowly at him to remind him of what he was supposed to be doing, yet the blonde still moved excruciatingly slowly, savouring every moment of his member sliding in and out of Kyouya almost entirely, smearing the blood they had picked off the surroundings over their skin, enjoying the feel of the pale silk under his rough fingers – until he knew he'd hit the limits, and just before the volatile Cloud could reach out and give his eye an intricate shade of purple, he slammed inside him roughly, hitting the sweet spot over the prostate with perfection that only years of mastery could provide, making his lover arch his back into a curve he'd deem impossible had he not witnessed it, and cry out with a loud unsuppressed moan, just the sound and sight of it sending heat spiralling into the pit of the Cavallone's stomach.

Yet this time, Kyouya seemed to have different plans; and while being kindly allowed to take the more active role in their relationship for the most part, Dino did not delude himself into thinking he was the dominant one in this game. He might've been permitted to play the seemingly dominant role, yet the one who dictated had always been the lithe male under him – and this time, his plans differed from the don's.

With a swift manoeuvre, the agile Cloud overturned their positions, now sitting on top of the Decimo still fully sheathed in him, gazing at the latter with a devious expression.

Hibari Kyouya might be kind enough to let the Cavallone keep up an illusion of being the dominant one; but he does not like his pleasure being dictated and measured in tiny doses, teasing him yet never fulfilling.

Dino Cavallone knows exactly what it means when he sees the devious glint reflected in his lovers eyes when he sits upon him with a mischievous smirk on his face; and he can't help but reflect the smirk directed at him, and live up to his nickname of the Bucking Horse as the exotic deity of war that is Hibari Kyouya rides him relentlessly, arching back and forth in pleasure but unwavering in his thrusts.

And Dino Cavallone doesn't know a thing anymore when the same god-like black-haired Adonis throws his head back and cries out his name – or at least that's what he thinks he hears since he can't be too sure with his brain far from functioning properly – as the lithe body writhes over his in one last convulsion, spluttering thick white liquid over his abdomen, squeezing the Bronco's member sheathed deep into him tightly, sending him into infinite bliss-

-when he sees all white and nothing else and then there are fireworks like it is the tanabata festival but it isn't and he doesn't know who he is and where he is and what he is and he only knows it feels _goodgoodgood_ and he thinks he heard his own voice cry out his lover's name and nothing else in the world exists but Kyouya, Kyouya and only Kyouya over him and around him and next to him-

-infinite bliss, that ends all to swiftly as he rides out the wave of his pleasure, and the world comes crashing back again, replacing the swirly tunnels of rainbow colours he used to believe only drug addicts on their high could see. But after all, Dino Cavallone was an addict as well, and even if his addiction wasn't too healthy either, it was _his_ and _his only_.

Cleaning up would have been pointless; the signs of their lovemaking would remain alongside the sight of the carnage, to be swept away by the cleansing rain once the time to forget all of this comes, and devoured by the erasing flames charring away the nameless corpses their forbidden love left in their wake.

They were way past caring already anyway; the only thing they cared about was that the night was not yet over and the morning might never come, and that they had a shower and a bedroom with a king-sized bed only a flight of stairs away.

They will worry about other things when the morning comes; or _if_ the morning comes, whatever the future may choose for them.

* * *

As promised - lemon and a bloodbath. Don't blame me if you don't like my sick imagination, you've been warned.

Reviews are, as always, highly encouraged and much appreciated. Even if you didn't like it, I'd love to hear your opinion, and what part you didn't like and why.

REVIEW IT WITH YOUR DYING WILL! 3


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